If you would not be forgotten

If you would not be forgotten

If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead,
either write something worth reading or do things worth writing.

Benjamin Franklin

Perhaps you’ve seen the shorter version before as I have, the second line. I came across the full quote recently, however, and it prompted further thought.

I remember fondly those who have influenced my life. Some of them are no longer here. They, as Mr. Franklin mentions, did one or the other of those things, some of my influencers did both. The idea of being forgotten soon after I’m dead is distasteful to me. I want to make a difference in people’s lives, and that more than a little!

Being in transition at this writing, I’m asking myself significant questions as I press into my future in hopes of realizing my dreams. One of those questions is “Where will I make the most difference in the lives of those who read my work or who live close enough to see my life?” They’re not defeatest questions in any way, they’re self-inquiries intended to make me stretch. Press me. Push me forward.

If you write you probably ask similar questions now and then when things slow down. What aspirations do YOU have for what you write and what you do? Comment here or on LinkedIn [ http://preview.tinyurl.com/n4xyary ]. Let’s explore this.